{{Short description|American oceanographer and government official}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Rick Spinrad | image = File:Richard W. Spinrad, NOAA Administrator 2.jpg | caption = Spinrad in 2022 | office = {{ubl|11th Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere|11th Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration}} | president = Joe Biden | term_start = June 22, 2021 | term_end = January 20, 2025 | predecessor = Kathy Sullivan | successor = Neil Jacobs | education = Johns Hopkins University (BS) <br>Oregon State University (MS, PhD) | module = {{Infobox scientist | embed=yes | fields = Oceanography | workplaces = {{plainlist| * Office of Naval Research * Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command * Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research * United States Naval Academy * George Mason University * Oregon State University * National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration }} | thesis_title = Optical characteristics of the suspended sediment in the High Energy Benthic Boundary Layer Experiment | thesis_url = https://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/concern/graduate_thesis_or_dissertations/6q182n42n | thesis_year = 1982 | doctoral_advisors = J. Ronald V. Zaneveld<br>Hans J. Schrader<br>LaVerne D. Kulm<ref name=phdthesis/> | academic_advisors = | known_for = | influences = | influenced = | awards = }} | mawards = 30px|link=Navy_Distinguished_Civilian_Service_Award | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1954|04|06}} | birth_place = New York, New York, U.S. }}
'''Richard William Spinrad'''<ref name=phdthesis>{{cite thesis |url=https://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/concern/graduate_thesis_or_dissertations/6q182n42n |title=Optical characteristics of the suspended sediment in the high energy benthic boundary layer experiment |date=1982 |institution=Oregon State University |degree=Ph.D. |last=Spinrad |first=Richard William |id={{ProQuest|303226938}} |oclc=1015738170}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=US Department of Commerce|first=National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration|title=Ocean Exploration 2020 National Forum: Keynote Speakers: Dr. Richard Spinrad|url=https://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/oceanexploration2020/speakers/spinrad.html|access-date=2021-04-26|website=oceanexplorer.noaa.gov|language=EN-US}}</ref> is an American oceanographer and government official who served as the 11th Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. He also concurrently served as Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere from 2021 until 2025.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Biden Taps A Former Top Scientist At NOAA To Lead The Weather And Climate Agency|url=https://www.npr.org/2021/04/25/990636818/biden-taps-a-former-top-scientist-at-noaa-to-lead-the-weather-and-climate-agency|access-date=2021-04-26|website=NPR.org|language=en}}</ref>
== Early life and education == Born and raised in New York City,<ref name="senate_nominee_form">{{cite web |title=Senate Commerce Committee Nominee Questionnaire, 117th Congress |url=https://www.commerce.senate.gov/services/files/BE5BD264-DDE5-4D22-93DE-CC28EE4D54B3 |publisher=United States Senate |access-date=11 September 2023 |date=3 May 2021}}</ref> Spinrad earned a Bachelor of Arts degree<ref>{{cite web |url=https://jscholarship.library.jhu.edu/bitstream/handle/1774.2/36825/commencement1975.pdf |title=Conferring Of Degrees At The Close Of The Ninety-ninth Academic Year |date=1975-05-23 |pages=17–21 |publisher=The Johns Hopkins University |location=Baltimore, Maryland |access-date=2021-06-18}}</ref> in earth and planetary sciences in 1975 from Johns Hopkins University, and a Master of Science<ref name=msthesis>{{cite thesis |url=https://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/concern/graduate_thesis_or_dissertations/z029p7875 |title=Experimental and theoretical measurements of the particulate volume scattering function at near forward angles |date=1978 |institution=Oregon State University |degree=M.S. |last=Spinrad |first=Richard William |oclc=9419641}}</ref> and a PhD<ref name=phdthesis /> in oceanography in 1978 and 1982, respectively, from Oregon State University at the Hatfield Marine Science Center.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|title=Richard Spinrad|url=https://ceoas.oregonstate.edu/people/richard-spinrad|access-date=2021-04-26|website=College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences|language=en}}</ref>
== Career == Spinrad has held positions in the Office of Naval Research and Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command; for this work, he was awarded the Navy Distinguished Civilian Service Award.<ref name=":1" />
From 2003 to 2010, Spinrad was the head of the Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research within NOAA, and also was the U.S. permanent representative of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission from 2005 to 2009. He was the Vice President for Research at Oregon State University from 2010 to 2014.<ref name=":1" />
Spinrad was Chief Scientist of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration from 2014 to 2016, after which he was a professor of oceanography at Oregon State University.<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-04-22|title=President Biden Announces 12 Key Climate and Infrastructure Administration Nominations|url=https://bidenwhitehouse.archives.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/04/22/president-biden-announces-12-key-climate-and-infrastructure-administration-nominations/|access-date=2021-04-26|website=The White House|language=en-US}}</ref>
On Earth Day 2021, Spinrad was nominated by President Joe Biden to serve as the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere, which includes serving as the administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in the Department of Commerce.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|date=2021-04-23|title=Oceanography Vet Rick Spinrad Nominated NOAA Administrator|url=https://www.executivegov.com/2021/04/oceanography-vet-rick-spinrad-nominated-noaa-administrator/|access-date=2021-04-26|website=Executive Gov|language=en-US}}</ref> On June 17, 2021, his nomination was confirmed by voice vote in the United States Senate.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-06-16|title=PN439 - Nomination of Richard W. Spinrad for Department of Commerce, 117th Congress (2021-2022)|url=https://www.congress.gov/nomination/117th-congress/439|access-date=2021-06-17|website=www.congress.gov}}</ref> He was sworn in by Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo on June 22, 2021.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.noaa.gov/news-release/richard-w-spinrad-sworn-in-as-noaa-administrator|title=Richard W. Spinrad sworn in as NOAA administrator|last=Smullen|first=Scott |date=June 22, 2021|publisher=NOAA|access-date=June 22, 2021}}</ref> He served until the Biden administration left office on January 20, 2025.
In 2025, Spinrad was elected to the National Academy of Engineering.<ref>{{Cite web |title=National Academy of Engineering Elects 128 Members and 22 International Members |url=https://nae.edu/331605/NAENewClass2025 |access-date=2025-09-24 |website=NAE Website |language=en}}</ref>
== References == {{reflist}}
== External links == * {{C-SPAN|90609}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Spinrad, Rick}} Category:Living people Category:Place of birth missing (living people) Category:Civil servants from New York City Category:Scientists from New York City Category:Johns Hopkins University alumni Category:Oregon State University alumni Category:American oceanographers Category:Oregon State University faculty Category:Biden administration personnel Category:National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration personnel Category:United States under secretaries of commerce Category:1954 births Category:Recipients of the Navy Distinguished Civilian Service Award